Antenna systems capable of operating in multiple frequency bands are desirable for reasons such as system agility and high bandwidth. However, due to size limitations, different antenna elements corresponding to different frequency bands are often required in close physical proximity to one another. One approach to such systems is to distribute the radiators pertaining to various sub-arrays in an interleaved manner over a given area, so as to avoid confining each sub-array to a small area.
A difficulty with the above is that antenna elements appropriate to different frequency bands typically have significantly different size requirements, which makes element interleaving problematic. A further difficulty is that antenna arrays appropriate to different frequency bands typically have significantly different inter-element spacing requirements, which makes array interleaving problematic. A further difficulty is that even when different sets of elements operate in different frequency bands, the presence of one set of elements can negatively impact the performance of another.
Therefore there is a need for dual-mode, dual-band antenna systems that are not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.